In this article:
What is a LEDES file?
The Legal Electronic Data Exchange Standard is a set of file format specifications intended to facilitate electronic data transmission in the legal industry. The phrase is abbreviated LEDES and is usually pronounced as "leeds".
A LEDES file is a machine-readable file that displays invoice data in a specific order and format. This allows a company to ingest, accept, and process invoices in an industry-standard way, making processing and payment much easier.
Supported formats to upload in LawVu
LawVu supports the following LEDES file formats, each with varying degrees of support:
Older LEDES formats: LEDES 98B, LEDES 98BI
These formats create LEDES files that appear with the .txt file extension. Please note that this format does not allow for line-by-line item approvals and adjustments by the client in LawVu.
Newer LEDES formats: XML E-Billing version 2, XML E-Billing version 2.1
These formats create LEDES files and appear with the .xml file extension and DO ALLOW for line-by-line item approvals and adjustments by the client in LawVu.
We don't officially support LEDES 98 (with no B/BI) or LEDES 2000. We offer limited support for LEDES 98B and LEDES 98BI.
Minimum acceptance criteria
LEDES files can be configured to contain certain attributes from your practice management system. To submit LEDES files and then relate them to matters in LawVu, please ensure they contain the following attributes as a minimum:
For matter linking:
Client ID (aka, your organization name)
Invoice ID (aka, Invoice Number)
Invoice Date
Matter ID/Name (which is referred to as the client reference ID)
Note, this is the LawVu Matter ID, starting with "LV" and followed by numbers. Firms uploading LEDES invoices need the full Matter ID, e.g. "LV0536-0099"
Due Date
Accruals
Fees (exc. GST/Tax)
Disbursements (exc. GST/Tax)
Total tax
Uploading LEDES files
If you are a LawVu client, you cannot upload LEDES invoices.
These can only be uploaded by law firms.
LEDES invoices are typically generated by a law firm's practice management system and are primarily designed for direct processing between legal and billing systems. Our dedicated LSP (Legal Service Provider) portal is specifically designed to enable law firms to submit these files securely and efficiently, ensuring they are handled correctly for invoice review through the client portal.
Law firms can upload their invoices directly into LawVu, linking them to the respective client matters. LawVu then automatically calculates the total amount, compares it to the estimated cost for that matter, and presents the information in our internal reports.
This automated approach is more efficient and accurate than manually entering data from a PDF.
For instructions on how to upload invoices to LawVu, head to this article.
After the LEDES file is uploaded, a copy of the original file is available for download in the Original Invoice column found in the Invoices grid.
Common LEDES invoice errors and how to resolve them
LawVu follows the Legal Electronic Data Exchange Standard for handling billing information. When exporting LEDES files from a billing system, it's important that the files are accurate. This includes using correct timekeeper level codes, proper date formats, and accurate representation of tax for line items.
These requirements are defined by the LEDES standard, not by LawVu.
If a LEDES file contains missing, invalid, or incorrectly formatted information, LawVu will display an error message during upload. The error message can help identify the field causing the issue.
Important: If the LEDES file itself is incorrect, the issue must be corrected in the billing system before the invoice can be successfully uploaded. Please contact your billing platform's support team for assistance.
Some of the most common errors related to LEDES upload are:
Invalid Timekeeper Level: tk_level
E.g., will be described in the LEDES XML file as “PARTNER”, should be “PARTNR”.
LEDES.org sets out the list of accepted timekeeper codes
Wrong Client Name, e.g. “Boats Inc” instead of “Boats”
Must be an exact match to the name of the client in the LawVu platform
Incorrect Tax
LEDES itemizes tax against each line item
You can find a comprehensive list of valid timekeeper codes on the LEDES website at the following link: LEDES Timekeeper Classification Codes. This resource provides an updated collection of codes that can be used to classify timekeepers in accordance with LEDES standards.
Sometimes the PDF invoice rendered by LawVu doesn’t align with expectations. This is commonly because the underlying Lede’s file is not as expected. The purpose of this guide is to highlight common issues associated with LEDEs invoices to help resolve them.
Understanding a LEDES File
Below is a sample LEDEs file rendered in Notepad:
File Structure:
Line 1: LEDES Version ; Example:
LEDES1998BThe version is important because different LEDES versions support different fields. For example, newer versions may include additional tax-related fields.
Line 2-5: This is the header information for all the invoice fields that are populated. Some of these fields (eg invoice date) populates exactly the same all the way through and other fields (eg line item description) are different per line item.
Line 6-end onwards – Invoice Line Items. Each row represents an individual fee, expense, or adjustment item.
The pipes ‘|’ represent the separator between each field.
How LawVu determines fees vs disbursements
The field EXP/FEE/INV ADJ TYPE determines how each line item is categorized.
LawVu Section | LEDES Type | LEDES Code |
Fees | FEE | F |
Disbursements / Expenses | EXP | E |
Supplier Adjustments | INV ADJ | IF |
If a line item appears in the wrong section, check the value provided in this field.
How to Identify UTBMS Codes
UTBMS codes are stored in dedicated LEDES fields such as:
Activity Codes
Expense Codes
Task Codes
If UTBMS codes are not appearing on the invoice in LawVu:
Review the LEDES file.
Confirm the relevant UTBMS fields are present.
Verify that values have been populated by the billing system.
If the fields are blank or missing, LawVu cannot display the codes.
How LawVu Determines the Matter
A LEDES file may include a Client Matter ID provided by the Legal Service Provider (LSP).
When this ID matches a matter in LawVu:
The invoice is automatically assigned to the correct matter.
If the matter appears incorrect
Compare:
The Client Matter ID in the LEDES file
The Matter ID in LawVu
If they differ, it may indicate that the supplier manually selected or overrode the matter when submitting the invoice.
When invoice totals don't add up
Occasionally invoice totals displayed in LawVu may appear inconsistent.
In most cases, this is caused by inconsistencies within the LEDES file itself.
LawVu performs validation and reconciliation calculations when processing invoices, which can expose discrepancies in the source data.
Example: Line item doesn't add up
Example: Line Item Total Does Not Match Quantity × Rate
LEDES Values
Units | Rate | Expected Total |
5 | $100 | $500 |
However, the LEDES file states the line item total is:
$400
Result in LawVu
Fees: $500 (calculated from Units × Rate)
Invoice Total for Payment: $400 (taken from the submitted line-item total)
This discrepancy occurs because the invoice contains conflicting values.
Resolution
Correct the line item values in the billing system and regenerate the LEDES file so that:
Units × Rate = Line Item Total
Need additional help?
If the LEDES file structure or values appear incorrect, the issue typically originates from the billing platform that generated the file.
Please contact your billing platform's support team and provide:
The LEDES file
The upload error message from LawVu
Any screenshots demonstrating the discrepancy
This will help them identify and correct the underlying data issue.